The present invention generally relates to an automobile wheel cover or hubcap and, more particularly, to a mounting for the detachable mounting of a wheel cover or hubcap, made of synthetic resin, to a wheel.
As is well known to those skilled in the art as well as automobile owners, the automobile wheels generally have wheel covers detachably attached thereto for aesthetic purpose. An example of the prior art wheel cover mountings is shown in FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings in fragmentary sectional view, reference to which will now be made for the detailed discussion of the problem underlying the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 7, the back face of a wheel cover 20 is formed with a plurality of receptacles 20a located adjacent the periphery thereof, each of said receptacles 20a having front and bottom walls 20b and 20d and a catch opening 20c defined in the front wall 20b. For each receptacle 20a, a generally C-shaped leaf spring 22 having resiliently deformable fitting and anchoring ends 22a and 22b is carried by the wheel cover 20 with the fitting end 22a inserted in the respective receptacle 20a to resiliently partially protrude into the catch opening 20c and with the anchoring end 22b situated outwardly of the respective receptacle 20a for engagement in a hump region 21a of a wheel rim 21.
The wheel cover 20 carrying the leaf springs 22 is fitted to the respective wheel with the anchoring ends 22b resiliently received in the hump region 21a of the wheel rim 21, applying respective outwardly acting resilient forces to the wheel rim 21 thereby to retain the wheel cover 20 in position relative to the wheel. In this prior art wheel cover mounting, a reactive force of the anchoring end 22b of each leaf spring 22 relative to the hump region 21a is received and supported by the bottom wall 20d of the associated receptacle 20a. Accordingly, it has often been observed that, when the bottom wall 20d is softened under the influence of heat generated upon the braking of the wheels, the resilient force that is being applied from the anchoring end 22b to the wheel rim 21 for retaining the hubcap in position relative to the wheel is lessened.